Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: redundancies in the automotive industry in Belgium

PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund in respect of redundancies in the automotive industry in Belgium.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 2011/470/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, in accordance with point 28 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (application EGF/2010/031 BE/General Motors Belgium from Belgium).

 CONTENT: the European Parliament and the Council have decided that for the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2010, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) shall be mobilised to provide the sum of EUR 9 593 931 in commitment and payment appropriations.

This amount is to assist Belgium in respect of redundancies within General Motors Belgium.

Noting that the application from Belgium fulfils the eligibility criteria set up by the EGF Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006), the European Parliament and the Council have decided to mobilise the requested amount.

To recall, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) was established to provide additional support for workers made redundant as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation and to assist them with their reintegration into the labour market. The Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 allows the mobilisation of the EGF within the annual ceiling of EUR 500 million.

The scope of the EGF was broadened for applications submitted from 1 May 2009 to include support for workers made redundant as a direct result of the global financial and economic crisis.